Joseph j



(No Model.) r

' J. J. HARRELL.

. JOINT FOR RAILWAY RAILS:

No. 389,465. Patented Sept. 11, 1888.

WITNESSES: IIVVEIVTOI? ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT Orrics.

JOSEPH J. HARRELL, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO DAVID SHIELDS AND L. H. WILLIAMS, OF SAME PLACE.

JOINT FOR' RAILWAY-RAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,465, dated September 11, 1888.

Application filed January 13, 1888. Serial No. 260,605. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSEPH J. HARRELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Joints for Railway- Rails; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of-this specification.

This invention has relation to joints for railway-rails; and ithas forits object the provision of novel appliances for coupling the rail-sectionstogetherandformingapermanent,strong, and efficientjoint withouttheuse of bolts, nuts, or like devices.

My invention contemplates the substitution for the ordinary bolt and nut of a peculiar form of key or locking-pin, by means of which the fish-plates of a joint may be readily applied and secured to a rail formed with the ordinary bolt-holes, and which when in position will retain the fish-plates rigidly in place and prevent loosening or accidental displacement of the parts,while at the same time allowing for the expansion and contraction of the rails under variations of temperature.

My invention consists in the novel construe tion and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical transverse section of a rail equipped with myimproved joint appliances. Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the locking-pins or keys.

A designates a section of a rail formed with the usual transverse bolt-holes, B, and C G are the fish-plates, preferably made of wroughtiron or steel rolled to the proper shape and formed with the lateral flanges D, which rest upon the base-flanges of the rails, and are secured to the ties by spikes, or to a suitable baseplate,which in turn rests upon and is fastened to the ties.

For the purposes of my invention the fishplates are pierced at intervals, corresponding to the bolt-holes of the rails, with holes d d,- but the latter, instead of being horizontal, are at an angle or oblique, being inwardly and downwardly inclined from the outer to the inner surface of the plates. The holes. at d are thus formed for the purpose of accommodating and rendering effectual the interlocking pins or keys 6 e.

As shown, the pins 0 consist each of a block of iron or steel, composed of a rounded shank or central portion, 6, and two outwardly and upwardly inclined wings or limbs,ff. The sides of the wings or limbsff are in the same plane with the sides of the central portion or shank, and the sides of the bolt-holes through the rail in like manner coincide with the sides of the holes in the fish-plates.

The upper and lower sides of the wing portions or limbs ff of the keys are on lines below the upper and lower sides, respectively, of the shank, or in such relation that the horizontal axis of the shank portion is intersected at about its middle part by the lines of inclination of the upper surfaces of the limbs ff, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. It is not, however, necessary to obtain exactness in this respect, the object being simply to provide a recess, 9, between the limbs f f below the shank and the shoulders or offsets h above the inner extremities of thelimbs, for the purpose hereinafter explained.

The recess 9 is of a width corresponding to the thickness of the web of the rail, so that when the key is first applied the exposed portions or'shoulders h of the inner ends of the limbs will abut against and hug the rail-web on either side.

In fitting the parts together to form ajoint the keys 6 e are first inserted in the bolt-holes of the rails and dropped down until the shanks rest on the web. A fish-plate is now brought into position and slipped over the limbsf of the keys projecting from one side of the rail. As the fish plate is forced into its seat, the keys are lifted until their shanks reach a central position with reference to the holes in the rail. A fish-plate is now applied to the other side of the rail and worked easily over the ends of the keys and into position, there being sufficient play and yield of the keys to admit of the required manipulation to seat the second fish-plate. When both fishplates are in position, they are fastened to the ties by spikes, and are then perfectly rigid and cannot be dis placed, nor can the keys be dislodged by any amount of pressure or vibration to which they may be subjected. The position of the keys with reference to the bolt-holes of the rails allows the rails to freely expand and contract in the direction of their length without disturbing the position of thejoint. Vhen the keys are raised,as stated, their shoulders h h project below the bottom of the bolt holes, and are thereby prevented from being moved lengthwise or out ol position.

It will be noticed that the shoulders h h on the keys are beveled,and that the holes in the fish plates are correspondingly beveled on their upper sides at their inner angles, and that the fish-plates accordingly rest snugly against said shoulders, and thus prevent any lateral thrust or movement of the keys when the latter are in position. By the beveling of the holes in the fish-plates their application to and over the keys is facilitated. It is also to be observed that the angle or inclination of the limbsff of the keys is slightly more acute than the angles formed by the holes in the fishplates,to facilitate the seating of the fish-plates, which requires a little space or play in being easily fitted over the limbs, it being necessary to incline the plates slightly to avoid the head of the rail. The outer and upper angles of the holes in the fish-plates are also beveled, as shown, to prevent undue binding of the parts and to afford the keys a little play while the fish-plates are being applied.

The keys may be tapered or diminished on their upper surfaces at their outer ends to permit the fish-plates to pass over them easily.

\Vhen it becomes desirable to displace the parts, one of the fish-plates can be first removed by being pried outwardly and upwardly in a direction opposed to that through which the plate is seated, after which the removal of the keys and other fish-plate is readily accomplished.

Having described my in vention,whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The combination, with the aligned rails having transverse bolt-holes, of the fish-plates or splices having oblique holes inclined, respectively, in opposite directions, and the fastening-keys consisting of the horizontal shanks or body portions and the oblique wings or extensions, the latter terminating in shoulders below the plane of the shank, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the aligned rails having transverse bolt-holes, and the fishplates or splices having, respectively, oblique holes inclined downwardly in opposite directions,of the keys, consisting oftheoppositelyinclined or divergent wings, and the horizontal connecting-shank or body part, with a notch or recess formed between the inner ends of said wings on the under side, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the aligned rails having transverse bolt holes, and the fishplates or splices having oblique holes, of the keys having correspondingly oblique or (ii vergent wings and horizontal connecting-shanks, the said wings terminating in shoulders at their inner ends and forming a notch or recess to embrace the sides of the rail, substantially as described.

4. The raitjoint key consisting of the horizontal shank and the divergent wings, and formed with a notch or recess in its under side to fit the rail, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the rail and fishplates or splices having oblique holes, of a notched interlocking key,eonstitutingthe sole connection between the rail and fish-plates, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of January, 1888.

JOSEPH J. IIARRELL.

\Vitucsses:

'lnos. A. CONNOLLY, LOUIS Monsnn. 

